Wax, Wane, Repeat
by ArchangelUK
Summary: In all that may come to be the Goddess Martel is the most holy, but the Unseen in all that may come may be the most unholy. Pronyma 1:5, Book of Martel. Contains: SheenaxLloyd
1. Hima By Twilight

**Wax, Wane, Repeat  
By ArchangelUK**

_**A/N: Huzzah, my first Symphonia fic. My reading of fics in this section leads me to warn you that there will be spoilers if you haven't played the game, but then again if you haven't played the game then what are you doing reading fanfics in this section - nothing will make sense! This fanfic features my favourite couples of Sheela x Lloyd (Sheloyd) and Zelos' Head x Raine's Staff (Zelaff).**_

EDIT: Corrected a couple of glaring mistakes, that'll teach me for stuffing in more stuff after I deemed it finished and put back the seperators that the 'smart' ff. net code removed.

_I don't own Tales of Symphonia, just an urgent desire to resurrect my non-existant green haired sister... odd, I didn't even know Saria was family._

**Ch 1: Hima By Twilight**

_"In all that may come to be the Goddess Martel is the most holy,  
but the Unseen in all that may come may be the most unholy."  
- Pronyma 1:5, Book of Martel - _

Twitch.

Twitch._ Twitch. **Twitch**._

It was that dream again, the same one that he'd been having the previous three nights following his ascension to become the summon spirit of the heart. Verius, formerly the artificial summon spirit known as Corrine and partner to Sheena Fujibayashi of the Mizuho twisted violently in a restless slumber. Images far too vivid to be a dream flooded his consciousness, there was Sheena smiling, she had a white rose in her hair dressed in an elegant if somewhat revealing gown she was dancing with something, for it wasn't a 'someone'. The whole ballroom was suddenly filled with Gentlemen, those sick depraved clay monsters Mithos had created one day 'for fun'. She looked around the ballroom desperately for someone then everything vanished and she started crying. Alone in a dark desert, sand black as pitch beneath her knees she cried louder, it was something very important for she wasn't just weeping but bawling hysterically. Someone put their hand on her shoulder and she looked up and screamed, in front of her stood a man with red hair floating a good foot off of the floor - in his hand he held something round about the size of a football. He laughed a cruel laugh which echoed out and caused a mountain in the distance to vibrate and shudder before it, in an explosion and roar of flame disappeared from view. The last thing he ever recalled from this dream was something hitting the sand with a dull and slightly wet thump which after a moment of silence elicited an ear-piercing scream of terror from Sheena. It was Lloyd's emaciated head.

Verius woke with a start unsurprisingly, panting hoarsely, his hot breath forming clouds of condensation in the cold dank night air around the Martel Temple. He growled in annoyance and closed his eyes trying to regain his calm and focus. The dream... It was clearly a deliberate warning to him of some impending catastrophe, from where exactly he couldn't be sure for he was still getting used to his powers as a summon spirit. This wasn't really helped by his stubborn refusal to make any pact at all ever, which instantly distanced himself from any kind of comparison or frame of reference with the other summon spirits. Verius was one of a kind, then so for all account was his problem.

A summon spirit is not exactly accountable for his, her or their actions. Aska had waltzed off on his own from the Tower of Mana to explore the world and left Luna alone in the temple where she could not leave. This in itself had made life very difficult for his old travelling group, having to hunt the two headed phoenix of light down when time was of the essence. Volt of course still refused to give any explanation or apology for his actions twelve long years ago which resulted in such devastation in Mizuho and suffering to Sheena. Nor was any justification given to his subsequent attack on the group when Sheena made the second and decisive pact or any apology given for ending his - Verius's, previous incarnation's life. Efreet had a lot to answer for in many minds of the Sylvarant populous, Celsius' copybook wasn't as white as the driven snow she propagated in Tethe'alla either.

There was something dreadfully amiss; the question was what could he do about it for he was bound now to the Martel Temple and to leave would risk his very life for something he wasn't sure about. He sighed, there was no way though he could stay knowing Sheena was in danger because no matter what he _knew_ she _was_, both her and Lloyd... big trouble.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You washed your hands didn't you?" Raine said, frowning over the top of her textbook. A textbook so large and ponderous it always made Lloyd wonder where on Sylvarant she put it when she was done with it.

"That doesn't even warrant an answer." He snorted, turning back to his cooking where he was fashioning a series of rice balls with the aid of some seaweed and seasoning.

The smallest male of the group smirked, "Lloyd, that was an answer."

The air around Hima had grown cold, Zelos stoked the fire briefly with his sword in an attempt to make it burn that much harder, the red haired chosen wishing he was tucked up in a nice cosy bed in the village inn with the hunny of his dreams and not out here in the open braving the elements. The Hima village inn, known as 'Echoes' had (the group found out on arrival) been entirely booked out by a group of pilgrims from the Church of Martel. It had been too late to go and try somewhere else, so the decision had been made to camp up on the flat mountain peak away from the main village but close enough that they would have no difficulty in getting a good breakfast in the morning.

The large salmon that Lloyd had bought the group as a treat turned slowly over the fire as Sheena rotated the spit with a wary eye on both the flames and texture of the fish. It wasn't her turn to cook, nor for that matter was it Lloyd's but they had volunteered to substitute for Regal who was in his tent alone - it was the anniversary of Alicia's death today.

Oddly Persea didn't seem too phased but the normally quiet big man from Altamira was a wreck, several times Raine had disappeared to comfort him. The only sign of life from his sleeping quarters being the occasional choked back sob and rustle of canvas. They had made a decision not to head to Altamira, and for the sake of themselves if not for those two, the group had decided to not make a big event out of the anniversary either. Instead deciding that the best way for Regal to get over it was to treat it, though respectfully, as just another day. As if to prove this, the elder male made a sudden almost magical reappearance by the campfire.

Lloyd scowled, "Shut up Genis." The half-elf grinned lopsidedly which only served to anger Lloyd more, Genis pulled a face and Lloyd scooped up one of his creations and threw it at the young mage.

"Meh." Smiling smugly Genis' kendama flicked out and slammed into the oncoming missile, however the rice ball unfortunately obliterated on impact showering Genis with dozens of bits of rice. "Auggghwww... Stupid Lloyd!" Genis spluttered as he began picking bits of food out of his hair.

"Hardly." Regal said, his eyes closed in contemplation. "Lloyd knew you would show off by trying to block it with your weapon, there are many stones and pebbles around but by choosing the rice ball he knew it would have the best impact. It shows he has a good understanding of tactics and you do not."

"Did you really?" Colette asked, her eyes full of wonder as usual, Lloyd didn't even reply, he just smiled knowingly.

"HMMPH!" Genis glowered and sulked off to the other side of the camp where Raine would sigh and Persea would make a fuss of him trying to get the rice out of his thick white hair which would just make him even more embarrassed.

Sheena giggled, her kind eyes sparkling in the firelight. "Well I think this is done now Lloyd."

"Great!" Lloyd placed the ninth and last rice ball on his plate, the eighth now covering the small sulking mage. "Can you cut the fish up into cubes for me?"

"Cubes?" Sheena wrinkled her nose, "What for."

Lloyd flashed his trademark grin and pulled some sharpened sticks from his pack. "You'll see."

Twenty minutes later and the party was well fed, Regal who was a bit slower at eating only partly though the shackling of his hands bit through the salmon and vegetables savouring the tastes and textures. He swallowed giving an 'mmm' as the flavours washed over his palate.

"Excellent Lloyd, excellent." He said after swallowing, "I would have never thought of cooking salmon kebabs, it's a highly original concept."

"They're delicious Lloyd!" Colette grinned, the remnants of some sauce around the corner of her mouth. Lloyd blushed and scratched the back of his head.

"Hey, don't forget guys the fish was cooked by Sheena not me."

"Sorry, I forgot - thanks Sheena!"

Sheena turned away blushing slightly herself. "Hey, it's no big deal right?"

"We just work well together as a team." Lloyd said smiling and gave her a thumbs up, Sheena covered herself by taking a big mouthful of salmon. "So was it really that good?"

Persea smiled which spoke volumes in itself, whilst the speed Raine had consumed hers at gave little doubt as to her opinion. Genis, sitting between the pair and still smarting from earlier mumbled something about it being 'alright for something Lloyd did'.

"It's not bad Lloyd." Zelos yawned, "Just I'm not really a fish kind of person you know?"

"No just an obnoxious kind of person." Sheena snorted; Zelos clutched a hand to his chest in mock shock.

"Why my sweet rose petal you cut me deeply!" He gave her his best puppy dog expression, "Why do you hide your feelings from me? We both know what you really want."

"Yes, but sadly the Plantex didn't swallow you and finish the job instead of just chewing you up a bit."

Zelos pouted, "Aww Sheena why can't you be like my other hunnies? Like my rosebud Persea or my cute little angel Colette? Or my fair hunny the Professor?"

_Whack._

The hard wood of Raine's Ancient Staff smashed into the somewhat softer back of Zelos' head. "How many times lover boy, I am not your hunny." She said evenly, "And if you dare to call me that again you will be entering a world of pain."

Zelos considered for a moment what Raine's idea for a 'world of pain' would be like and promptly shut his mouth.

Lloyd shook his head sighing and turned back to Regal, "So you didn't think it needed more salt?"

Regal took another mouthful and rolled it around in his mouth before swallowing with an audible gulp. "Perhaps... Yes, perhaps a bit more salt would have just given it that edge." Lloyd nodded, eager to learn from the man the Wonder Chef himself had decreed a 'God of the Kitchen' and made a mental note for next time.

The evening wound to a close, Persea exhausted from their last fight in which she took some hefty damage had fallen asleep partially on Genis and the half-elf was so terrified he had asked Sheena if she could use some kind of weak variation of Cyclone seal to get her off. She had responded by laughing and saying that he should enjoy the attention he was getting, to which he complained his right arm was now dead. As it happened Persea shifted slightly and that allowed Genis to escape, though for only a moment as with a frown on her sleeping face Persea reached out and initiated a death grip around Genis' waist.

"Seems she likes you as a teddy bear." Sheena said, placing a hand in front of her face to stop herself bursting out laughing.

"Help meeeee!" Whispered Genis urgently, "I c-can't breathe!" As if sensing something was wrong, Persea suddenly loosened her grip, though not enough for him to escape again. Genis, having long learned through his sister that when a girl makes up her mind (whether conscious or unconscious) they have made up their mind decided to put his head down on his pack and go to sleep as well and would deal with the consequences in the morning.

"They look cute don't they?" Sheena asked a yawning Raine.

"Cute? Yes." She nodded sleepily, "But practical? I only hope Genis doesn't get too attached, what with everything that's going on."

Sheena sighed, "Sometimes you can't help but get attached to someone regardless of battle, you can't help but feel drawn to someone who risks their life for you. Even if you don't say a word they'll still be with you in your dreams." She shook herself out of her reverie, Raine giving her an intregued if mostly unreadable expression. "You should get some rest, you used a lot of mana today healing us all."

"Perhaps you're right." The elder woman said with a sigh, "Who knows what we'll face tomorrow."

"True." Sheena stretched her arms behind her back, "Hey where are Colette and Lloyd?"

"Hmm? Oh I think they went back down into town for a bit."

"Mmm. Might have a wander down there myself. Oh and wake Zelos up will you? It is his turn to be on guard."

Sheena turned and began walking down the winding hill, here in Hima the sky always seemed to be clear and a thousand stars dotted the midnight sky, a myriad of different whites, blues and oranges. She had soon wandered down to the core of the village, passing the graves of those escapees from the human ranch on her way. She bowed her head at them in respect as she passed, only then catching sight of the young Chosen of Sylvarant on her knees in silent prayer.

"Colette?"

"Oh, Sheena!" Colette bounced to her feet smiling; Sheena cast an eye over the graves.

"I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Oh you didn't." Colette reassured, "I'd just finished anyway, why are you out here?"

Sheena shrugged, "Just wanted to find out where you and Lloyd had gotten to, you both kind of disappeared."

Colette flushed slightly, "Well it was kind of my fault, I did drag him out here."

"Mmm, Lloyd's not the spiritual type really is he."

"Especially not after what we've all discovered with Cruxis no, I'm afraid not. When I wanted to come out here he insisted on accompanying me to keep an eye out."

Sheena nodded in understanding; Desian agents had already made two attempts on Lloyd in the inn at Triet and one on Colette at the then intact Palmacosta not to mention her own attempts to take the Sylvarant Chosen's life. Other agents of Yggdrasill or Tethe'allan rogues could be abound.

"Then where is he?" She frowned.

"Lloyd?" Colette sighed, "He got bored."

"Typical." Sheena rolled her eyes

"Well, he did say that he and Zelos had scouted a seven mile radius around Hima and found nothing." Which was true, there was absolutely nothing around the place at this time of night except for the odd wolf who wouldn't be able to ascend the mountain path with the great iron gates of Hima blocking the way. "I think he just wanted some time to think. There's a lot of things going on in his head at the moment, oh, it's all my fault this journey of regeneration has caused him nothing but pain."

"I hardly think the situation with Kratos is your fault Colette." Sheena said, patting the girl on the shoulder. "Well, I'm going to head down to the lagoon near the entrance and have a dip. I'll see you later."

"Okay!" Colette smiled happily, then turned back to the graves the smile becoming a sombre one. There was something Lloyd had said about the lagoon as he had left but her addled brain couldn't quite recall. She was about to head back up the path when all of a sudden she remembered what Lloyd had said exactly. "Oh no! Sheena w-w-waiiiiiiiiit whoa!" Colette spun right round and tripped over a stone; she windmilled her arms to try and regain her balance but failed as per usual and fell face first to the ground. "Owwy!" She shook herself and got back to her feet only to let out a groan of despair, Sheena obviously out of earshot had gone, she balled her fists and bounced. "Now what am I supposed to do? She's going to walk right on him when he's..."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Zzzzzzzz."

"Excuse me?"

"Zzzzzzzzz...schrofff norff...zzzzzzzzz."

"Hello?" Sheena said tapping the travelling salesman on the shoulder, the town dog known as Boo was by his side also snoring loudly. The occasional twitch of her white ear the only sign she was even alive. "Hello?"

"Mmmfph... what? Who?"

"Sorry to disturb you, but-"

"-Aggh! A customer!" The merchant was on his feet in a flash, the pans attached to the rucksack on his clanged against each other dramatically and Boo woke with a start, barking shrilly which earned rather rude calls from the windows of the surrounding buildings. Sheena cringed and tried to hide herself from the vengeful eyes of the neighbours, the merchant didn't seem too fazed though.

"Good evening and welcome to the Crimson Canyon. What store are you interested in?"

"Just general store items please, I was after a bar of soap."

He ran a hand through his greasy and knotted hair, "A bar of soap you say, I believe I have one here - that'll be ten gald please."

"Ten gald?" Sheena said aghast. "You can get a magic lens for that amount of money!"

"Aye you can, but can you wash with it?" The merchant shrugged, "Luin's a dusty dirty place and there's a shortfall at the moment, you ask at the inn they've only got a bar between the entire clientel and he's a customer from Luin who's sharing."

"Alright, alright, I'll give you eight."

"I said ten."

"And I said seven." Sheena replied, the merchant looked confused. "Ya'd better accept or it'll become six."

The shopkeeper laughed, "You've done bartering before haven't you? I like you young woman! Okay, eight and I'll throw in this pair of hairclips."

Sheena eyed the hairclips, they seemed nice enough and her hair was difficult to manage sometimes. "Okay, deal."

The merchant pocketed the gald and Sheena did likewise the soap and hairclips, she wished him goodnight and went on her way. The merchant smiled and rubbed the dog on the forehead, "A nice woman, eh Boo?"

"Wuff!" Was Boo's affirmative reply.

"Odd though." The man stroked his chin, "Don't often get woken up for soap twice in one night. Come on, lets get back to sleep, I was having a nice dream about Yerii from the inn before I woke up and I want to find out what happens next!"

Sheena sighed as she rounded the corner to the small lagoon that sat like an oasis on the side of the rocky mountain Hima was perched upon. She let a stray curl of hair flutter briefly across her face before she pushed it back behind her ear with a finger. The moons were so beautiful this night, fresh and full, the slightly yellow and bigger of the two lit up the mass of water as if inviting her, welcoming her into its cool tranquil embrace.

She made her way through the trees surrounding the area and prepared to slip out of her purple attaire when she heard a splash. She looked up to see the end of a column of water displaced by something entering the lagoon at high speed fall back gracefully into the surface in an array of water droplets.

For a good twenty seconds there was silence, did that really just happen Sheena asked herself, not entirely sure of the testament of her eyes. She crept closer, cautious now as she believed she wasn't alone when something burst out from under the surface of the lagoon gasping for air.

_Lloyd? _

Swimming to the side and padding onto dry land Lloyd Irving plonked himself unceremoniously on his backside by the lagoon edge and began scrubbing at his red jacket with a bar of soap identical to that of Sheena. She blinked in disbelief as the young hero diligently cleaned his jacket made for him so long ago by his father Dirk and the white undershirt which no one ever really saw. Sheena felt her mouth go dry as she continued watching the youth, he had... 'developed' was the best way she could describe it.

Lloyd sat in silence, the water lapping silently at his feet, his boots and socks were safely by his twin sword blades and belt away from the lagoon edge. Though it had been only a few months of travelling he had changed a fair bit since when she first saw him, for a start he no longer looked cute. Now? Now he looked handsome. His damp hair fell down about his face, with the spiky look gone he looked oddly similar to Kratos but then again that wasn't surprising. Water dripped down from his hair onto his muscular chest, giving it and his strong toned arms a sheen that glinted in the moonlight. She stepped back and away from the scene, suitably embarrassed and her mind whirling with various images that made her blush furiously. A large crack rang out through the crisp night air as she stood back upon a fair sized twig which snapped underneath her.

She gasped, looking down at the guilty piece of deadwood before looking back up towards Lloyd. There was no way he could not have heard the sound, though when she looked up again Lloyd was gone from view, she blinked and looked around for him but all she could see was the boots and the jacket and all she could hear was the rustle of leaves disturbed by the wind. Backing off more she decided that it'd be best for her to leave quickly while she could avoid further awkwardness.

She suddenly sensed something rush up behind her and a pair of strong arms wrapped around her back and neck, pinning her arms and holding a razor sharp blue sword against the lilly white skin of her throat.

"Heh... and you accused me of being a Peeping Tom."

"I didn't know you were going to be here."

"You should be thankful it's me and not Zelos."

"Yeah, probably."

"I'm kind of surprised I managed to sneak up on you though." Lloyd lowered the sword slightly, but still held it up grinning from ear to ear that he had caught the female ninja off guard. "Maybe I'd make a good ninja."

Sheena snorted, "I doubt you'd have the dedication." She flushed as she realised he still held her tight against his wet body. "Mmm, you can...y'know... let go now."

"Heh, sorry." Lloyd did his traditional sheepish smile and scratched behind his head. Sheena stepped away from his 'embrace' somewhat reluctantly and turned around to face him, quickly averting her eyes downwards to the ground. "So what were you after?"

"Huh?"

"What were you doing down here?"

"Me? Oh, well, ya see I kinda..." She gestured at the soap, still not looking up. "I wanted a bit of a soak."

Lloyd frowned at her though she didn't see this, "Are you all right Sheena?"

"What?"

"There's no need to be embarrassed around me y'know."

"I am not embarrassed!" Sheena looked up then rapidly down again. He chuckled slightly, Sheena gave her best false laugh which failed miserably to be convincing.

"Mmm." Lloyd mused, now feeling rather conscious that he was standing half-naked in front of the Mizuho woman. "So, do you want me to wash your robe for you while you have a swim?"

"WHAT!" Sheena glared at him and threw up her arms to cover her body, "What the hell does that mean?"

"Easy! Easy!" Lloyd admonished holding up his hands, "I just meant that while you have a dip on the one side I can wash all that dried blood off your robe that's all. I've still got to do my shirt after all and besides," He gestured down at his bare and now muddy feet, "I need to wash these now thanks to someone."

"Fine." Sheena glowered, "But you'd better do a good job after holding a sword to my throat."

"Hey if you weren't peeping..."

"I was not peeping!"

"Pff, you didn't believe me!" Lloyd protested, "Ya Peeping Pam."

"'Peeping Pam'?"

"Well, you're hardly a Tom are you? Now go on and have a dip, I need to get my shirt done before it shrinks."

Sheena smiled despite her embarrassment and anger with herself before wandering off to the other end of the lagoon so she could bathe in a quiet area. Lloyd tutted and shook his head smiling before walking back to his discarded clothing, which despite being in the opposite direction from where Sheena had walked now included a pair of black tunic trousers and a purple robe.

He smirked, placing his hands on his hips and skook his head. "Show off."

The sounds of quiet giggling came from beyond a rocky outcrop but he decided not to investigate it. Lloyd sat back down once more and resumed his scrubbing.

* * *

_To Be Continued... Possibly...  
Please review! I'll be interested to know what you think._

**_ArchangelUK 0:o)_**


	2. Antiquity

**Wax, Wane, Repeat  
By ArchangelUK**

_**A/N: Well I WILL be continuing this most likely which I'm sure will please a whole dozen of you, I have a fancy plotline ready and waiting to be written out here which will tie in Verius to Lloyd and Sheena nicely. The 'extracts' at the beginning will become extremely relevant soon enough. Incidentally the extract IS correct before I get anyone saying there's a mistake in it. **_

_I don't own Tales of Symphonia, just an impressive array of old junk pinched from outside some shack in the mountains... hey why is this sword wriggling around so much, I - uh-oh._

**Ch 2: Antiquity**

_"Thus the holy ground of Kharlan was invaded,  
and many spawn were slain by the five seraphim,  
for their blood was pure and their hearts untainted."  
- Ramiel 3:22, Book of Martel - _

The following twenty four hours proved to be a hard fought one, a gruelling, grinding day that zapped the energy and spirit and was the kind of day that would make the self-proclaimed heroes wake up to their own shortcomings and quit. The group of the Unified Chosen were far from quitting, but it was still hard.

For scouting purposes they had agreed a laborious trip all over Tethe'alla and Sylvarant, skirting the different town and landmarks as a way of checking for any Desian or Cruxis activity. It had been a while since they had first made their way to Derris-Kharlan, defeated the Gatekeeper and opened the huge doors to reveal the great seed ahead of them. It had been then they had realised they were not significantly strong to face their final challenge yet and as they had some unfinished business it was felt prudent to return and finish that first. Presently they were in the snowy citadel of Flanoir, Raine was in a heated discussion with the mayor of the great city.

"Winter will never end you know that! You're sitting in the middle of an arctic expanse you nit-wit!"

"Miss Sage, there is no need for such... vulgarities." The mayor straightened a twitch possibly as the result of a disease in the beginning of his life but most likely nervous sent the right hook of his tarred moustache flicking against the flared nostril of his wide and flabby nose. "The library is closed, that is all there is to it."

"Closed?" Raine barked, "Closed? You cannot close knowledge mister Mayor, its the duty of your office to improve the welfare of the populous and that includes minds as well as bodies."

The Mayor snorted, "I do not need lecturing from the likes of you on the terms of my office thank you ever so much."

"The likes of me?" Raine's hand tightened around the shaft of her staff.

"Oh no." Zelos sighed, rubbing his eyes with his index finger and thumb.

"He didn't?" Colette asked wincing.

"He did." Genis nodded, turning away with the others so as not to see what was coming next. "Why is it that all the mayors that we've come across seem to be bigoted egotistical morons?"

"Who knows?" Lloyd shrugged, Regal pursed his lips together.

"Power corrupts."

"And absolute power corrupts absolutely." Sheena mumbled, numbly rubbing where the odd exsphere had entered her body. Genis blinked and nodded sadly.

Whack. "Aggh!"

"Do you think we'll be arrested?" Colette asked suddenly, as Raine rejoined them looking somewhat appeased but then she was often happier after clobbering someone. Genis put it down to the fact she was a healer and wasn't able to partake in actual combat as much as she'd have liked, although he couldn't actually say that of course for fear of being whacked himself. Raine was a believer that you should not strike your own child, but had no such qualms about walloping other people's or other siblings for that matter.

"No." Zelos waved his hand dismissively, "If there's any trouble then I, the great Zelos Wilder will use my well renowned charm and amazing political power to get us out of any situation!"

"Oh, sweet Martel will you listen to yourself?" Sheena rolled her eyes, "You'll pull some strings yadda yadda and invoke the name of the Chosen."

Zelos pouted, "Yes."

Lloyd chuckled for a moment before he suddenly stopped; the hairs on the back of his neck rose as they so often did when trouble was nearby. He looked over to the west in the direction of the dimensional portal and his gaze hardened visibly.

"Lloyd? What is it?" Colette gently rested a hand on his shoulder and he jumped at the sudden touch, it breaking whatever trance he appeared to be in. He shook his head.

"Nothing. Just my imagination." Colette seemed to accept this and gave him a smile, before grabbing his hand and pulling him in the direction of the library which was now by some minor miracle open for the first time in sixty-five years. Lloyd reluctantly let himself be led by the blond Chosen, still as he disappeared through the large double doors he glanced over his shoulder back to where he was looking and found Sheena looking out in the same direction.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Verius stood by the entranceway to his chamber, paw raised, frozen in mid-step.

He had decided to leave to seek out Sheena when something made him hesitate and he had been like this ever since. The Martel Temple near Iselia had shaken violently as he approached the exit and now he was unsure about whether he should or indeed could proceed. The entrance chamber was cold, dank, windowless and spartan - devoid of life, human or otherwise. He breathed fitfully, unnerved by his continuing indecisiveness and then decided to swallow his pride.

"Origin!" He called aloud, "Origin come to me, I seek thy council."

There was a flash of golden radiance and the summon spirit of spirit stood, or rather floated in front of him. "I was wondering when you would call me Summon Spirit of the Heart?"

"I have these last few nights been troubled by visions in my sleep."

"Of the pact maker and the destined youth Lloyd."

"Yes." Verius blinked, "You knew?"

"Indeed." He nodded sagely and floated down to land on the aging stone tablet floor, "I know the dreams you speak of for I too have seen them in my sleep, you are right to be wary Verius about these and many other things."

Verius didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but stuck to the main point at hand, "I must get to Sheena I cannot stand knowing she is in danger and not doing anything."

"Yes, your heart is bound to the pact maker just as hers is to yours. Though not a pact in the traditional sense you are joined in a spiritual manner, her power is yours and yours is hers - that is the way of things. Your powers themselves are yet to be determined, there has not been a Summon Spirit of the heart for over four thousand years and his legacy is best forgotten."

"There was one before me?"

"Yes, her name was Ceska."

"I thought you said the Summon Spirit was a he?"

"Oh he was... at first."

"At first?"

"His... her, appearance changed over the years from male to female and back again. The last time Ceska was seen he was a she." Origin stroked his short golden beard, "How it came that Ceska ceased to be is not known, though it was about the same time that the world was split into Tethe'alla and Sylvarant. To be honest Ceska didn't do a very good job and led many to grief and misery through his careless actions."

"Can I leave the temple?"

"Of course." Origin smiled, "Though the repercussions of this I do not know, I am certain the earthquake you felt was merely coincidental."

"Okay." Verius stepped through the doorway and to his relief absolutely nothing happened, taking this as a good sign he bounded up and out over the stairwell and fallen pillars to exit the temple through the main entrance. Origin re-materialised next to him. "What is causing these dreams we share?"

Origin frowned, "That I do not know." His frown deepened further still, "And yet... the feeling seems strangely familiar, almost like - no, but that's impossible."

"Who?" Verius demanded, Origin opened his mouth to say something but then quickly closed it with a click of teeth and snapped his head over to look away from him.

"The pact maker is summoning me, I must go - they are in Flanoir in Tethe'alla, journey there as quick as you can."

Then, with a wink of an eye the King of the Summon Spirits was gone leaving Verius alone in the dark and his mind plagued with yet more questions.

So he had to get to Sheena in Tethe'alla, which was in itself a problem. As a Summon Spirit he was bound now at least in part to his temple and his temple was in Sylvarant, Origin was special in that he was able to move from world to world unhindered and unaided however all the other Summon Spirits were reliant on the power lending pact forged with Sheena. Verius had no pact, he could not simply will himself back to his original world, he had tried that before even thinking of calling for Origin's aid, nor could he move great distances and the wing like appendages on his back seemed to be only for show - so where ever he was going to go he was going to have to walk. After all, it wasn't as if he could ride a rheiard.

But where to? It was late.

Verius raised his powerful nose and sniffed the air; he smelt the presence of Sylth on the winds, of Gnome in the soil and that of the water spirit Udine in the dank clinging air. Shadow's essence was also present in the darkness shielding that of Luna and Aska for the time being - high above he could even smell the presence of the great mana asteroid Derris-Kharlan covered by the clouds. In the distance Iselia was asleep, though a bit further north a bubbling stew showed at least someone was awake. He padded down the steps almost exactly the way a normal dog would and began running in the direction of the forest, as the foliage swallowed him up he failed to see what happened behind him for a violent crack ripped through the ancient temple and in a creak of splintering wood and whoosh of collapsing stone the Iselia temple crumbled spectacularly to the ground...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Great Library was the centre of Flanoir and always had been, though it didn't seem particularly big on the outside it was very long and the visible building above ground was merely the way in. Raine strode through the doors which flew open in her exhuberance, banging against the partly decaying wood and rubber stoppers and sending clouds of dust billowing out into the street sending Regal and Zelos into a fit of coughing.

"She...chgg...seems to be in ruin mode again."

"Khhuuugh... khh... her enthusiasm for knowledge is so great, I dread to think how long we may be delayed here for we dare not linger long. Who knows what fell beast might haunt the bowels of this building."

"Regal, it's a library." Zelos blinked, "And hardly the most impressive one at that."

"Hardly impressive?" Raine spun on him sounding less than impressed with his lack of enthusiasm. "This library runs two hundred feet below ground level and uses the natural cold to help preserve samples and ancient papers. It is said that it was constructed by the great King Fuchius III of Tethe'alla also known as King Fuchius the Blessed three hundred years before the peace at Kharlan. The building was said to be a memorial to his late queen."

"What was her name?" Colette asked intrigued, the professor's mouth twitched into a wry smile.

"Raine."

"Wow!" Colette bounced, "So were you named after her?"

"I believe so." Raine sighed happily, "She was said to be a great scholar in her own right and worked as a diplomatic representative." She reached out and touched a pillar with her hand, closing her eyes and running her delicate fingers over the stonework. "She has certainly been an influence on my life, she once said: 'Knowledge is not just the path to reason but also the grass around it'. I can only hope I one day come close to emulating her."

"It really is an impressive structure, isn't that the same paneling we saw in the throne room of the King?"

"Yes it is Lloyd, well noticed."

"It seems kind of older though."

Raine gaped, "You're right it does - it is!" Raine's face lit up with delight, "This is incredible, this means the King must have transported the then interior of the throne room and incorporated it into the design of the library - this is sensational! Nothing of this exists in the Sylvarant archives or the books we checked for Colette's cure - Lloyd; we've discovered something lost for over two millennia. I told you, you have what it takes to become an archaeologist!" Raine grabbed him in a far too enthusiastic hug. "We must take drawings, rubbings, make records - Zelos! Find some paper at once."

"Huh? Why the hell should I-"

Raine's eyes flared "-now!"

"Hey, why is it I always have to do the fetch and carry?"

"Oh, but you do it so well!" Genis laughed, Zelos scowled.

"Shut up brat! At least I'll look good doing it; after all, I look good doing anything."

"Be careful, there must have been some reason it was sealed." Regal reasoned, "It's just that it's so long ago everyone alive in Flanoir now cannot recall it."

"Pff, if there's one thing worse than a dusty old library; it's a dusty old killjoy inside said library."

"Hey Mister 'Look Good'? You'd certainly sound better if you'd put a cork in it." Sheena snapped, "Unless you want Raine to be delayed any further?" She gestured with her head towards Raine's staff. Zelos swallowed and went to find the paper.

"We should still be wary." Regal said cautiously, Persea nodded in agreement.

"We are unsure what was kept in the lower levels, caution is recommended."

"Um, Raine." Genis tugged on his sister's sleeve. "Lloyd's going blue."

"Ca-an't bre-a-the."

"OH!" Raine let go her vice like grip, Lloyd collapsed to the ground gasping. Sheena helped him to his feet, which were a bit wobbly; he stumbled and collapsed against her. Their noses banging against each other and lips almost grazing.

"Heh... s-sorry." He picked himself up trying desperately to hide his beet red face. They awkwardly separated themselves, Genis made a comment about the pair being as clumsy as each other, Colette giggled.

"Oh well, at least it's not me falling over this time." She smiled sweetly, Persea blinked apparently lost on the whole situation.

Lloyd recovered his bearings just as Zelos reappeared waving a bundle of paper above his head most of which was Raine found useless 'just like Zelos' as it was covered in dust and dirt and only some of the central sheets were actually usable. Raine began, after protestations from Zelos that his services were as usual being denied their full merit began making detailed notes and drawings of some of the panels and legible inscriptions.

"Genis, take a look at this text."

The boy mage obliged, "It appears to be a combination of ancient Elvish and an old human tongue. Fascinating."

Lloyd, Sheena, Zelos and Persea weren't in the least big interested. Regal was hovering over Raine's shoulder eager to take in all the information he could and giving general facts when asked while Colette simply wanted to be involved and help. Lloyd whistled, which echoed through the halls, something drew his attention and he tapped the Professor on the shoulder.

"Professor what's that?" He pointed at what looked like an old tapestry that was hanging from the ceiling, Raine squinted and gasped.

"It looks like a tapestry of the Queen herself, amazing that it should have survived this long in these conditions!"

"I'll go and fetch it if you like?" Lloyd offered, Raine nodded eagarly.

"I doubt it will last much longer up there as it is, maybe I can use it to perhaps persuade the current King to devote funds to help - this building definitely won't survive without some kind of restoration."

"I'll come with you." Sheena offered, Lloyd smiled and the two set off and climbed up a metal spiral staircase to a mezzanine level.

"Thanks for coming with me."

"No problem, I was getting bored of all the facts and figures. History isn't really my forte. I'm grateful for the excuse to get away."

"Nor mine." Lloyd grinned, "Despite what the Professor might think about my..." He sniggered, "'Talents', history simply doesn't come alive for me, to be honest if it ever did her excitement kind of killed any chance of me becoming interested off completely but, er, don't tell her that okay?"

"It'd break her poor heart!" Sheena laughed, "Sure thing Sempai."

"Some... pie?" Lloyd frowned and Sheena giggled even more.

"No, no, no."

"No?"

"No." Sheena tried to compose herself but the confused face of Lloyd was not making it easy. She cleared her throat pointedly to try and contain her amusement. "Sempai is an old Mizuho word, it means teacher or instructor."

"Heh, cool!" Lloyd smiled, then blinked. "Hey! Quit teasing me!"

"Oh take it like a man." Sheena smirked.

"I'll give you take it like a man come back here!" Lloyd made a lunge at Sheena but she laughed and ducked his clumsy half-tackle. Undeterred Lloyd began to chase her all over the mezzanine level, over chairs, under dusty tables and around bookcases doing nothing more than having fun. Lost in the moment when the two of them could just be themselves as opposed to the Summoner and the Elemental Swordsman.

"Get back here."

"No way!"

Eventually Lloyd managed to corner Sheena on an ornate, if rusty metal gangway between their mezzanine level and a second one at the back of the overly long library. Lloyd made another lunge and this time landed face first on the metal grilling. Bringing his fingers to his lips he found the bottom one nicked slightly, a few droplets of blood came off on his finger, hardly anything major but as his sight regained focus through the grilling something made his eyes seemingly double in size.

"Sheena." Lloyd said in a very even. "Come here."

"Ha, so you give up do you? I thought you were going to try and train to be a ninja and see if you really could outmanoeuvre me in battle."

"Sheena!" Lloyd hissed and held out his hand. "Please. Come over here very very slowly."

Sheena suddenly realised Lloyd wasn't joking about anymore and slowly as he had requested began edging back along the gangway towards him. Reaching out towards him she grabbed his hand and he pulled her close to him, then after bringing a finger to her lips to ward off any sound he pointed accusingly below. Smack bang in the middle of the library floor in the central section where the rest of the group had yet to venture was a hole. A very big hole. How far down it went exactly he couldn't be sure, possibly to the bottom of the library itself two hundred feet below but maybe not what was most obvious though was that this wasn't a case of structural failure. Something had very deliberately dug its way OUT, it was a very big hole and that meant a very big digger.

Lloyd swallowed, he had a pretty good idea who the guilty party was, he looked over at Sheena and saw in her eyes that she too knew. They made to move slowly back to where they had come from to warn the others when a single drop of blood rolled off of Lloyd's chin, it fell through the air, down through the grating unscathed and landed with a dull plop. Below them something suddenly moved out of the shadows, or to be more accurate wriggled rather pathetically along the floor. Barely four foot long and grey in colour it wriggled over to where the blood landed and snuffled at it with the receptors located around its large circular mouth. It looked, although it had no eyes upwards to where the blood had come from and mewed much like a kitten. The little creature called out and the noise echoed around the library making the other members of the party freeze in mid-investigation. The creature, which must have been an infant was rapidly joined by two others of a similar size and then three more, all of a sudden there were creatures crawling out of seemingly every nook and cranny to join the first all of them mewing up at the ceiling towards Lloyd and Sheena.

"Spirits! It looks like the whole floor is moving."

"It's a Silver nest, that's why the library was abandoned all those years ago some Silver must have dug its way in and used the place as a nursery for its young." Lloyd muttered, just as a terrible screech roared out of the hole making the baby Silver's coo expectantly. "And it looks like Mummy's home..."

* * *

_To Be Continued... Most Probably..  
Please review!_

**_ArchangelUK 0:o)_**


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